Full time: Man City 2-1 West Brom
Peep peep! City move four points clear of Manchester United, and to within two of Arsenal. Samir Nasri played very well in his first start since September and scored the winning goal after earlier strikes from Sessegnon and Aguero. Thanks for your company; night!
90+4 min West Brom win a corner in the last minute of added time. The goalkeeper Foster is in the box. Hart punches it clear to McClean, who volleys this far wide of the post from the edge of the box. That was so close.
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90 min Four added minutes.
89 min Aguero off, Gael Clichy on. He’s still limping. It looks like Gardner raked his studs down the back of the ankle.
Samir Nasri making his first start since September. His haircut making its first appearance since 1997.
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) April 9, 2016
87 min After lumbering 40 yards into the box, Kolarov screams one off the outside of the near post from an absurd angle. Foster had it covered.
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86 min I’m surprised Aguero hasn’t come off or been taken off, with the PSG game on Tuesday.
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85 min Aguero is limping. He has not tried to leave the field, so maybe it’s just soreness, but he can’t run properly.
84 min Gardner pings a free-kick towards goal from 35 yards. It’s straight down Hart’s throat but is wobbling a touch, so he plays it safe by tipping it over the bar.
83 min On the day Leko was born, City lost 2-1 at home to Wycombe in the third tier of English football.
82 min A lovely effort from Nasri, who uses Dawson as a screen and tries to place a curler into the far top corner from the left of the box. It was only just off target.
81 min A West Brom substitution. Jonathan Leko, who was born in April 1999, replaces Sessegnon.
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80 min Dawson’s superb low cross from the right flashes through the corridor of uncertainty with Berahino just unable to reach it at the far post.
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79 min City have been sloppy since going ahead. They do seem to have concentration issues.
77 min Aguero makes a lovely run behind Evans before drilling a low first-time shot that Foster saves well with his right foot.
75 min “I’m reading,” says Colum Farrelly. “I’m reading The Polished Hoe by Austin Clarke. ‘An epic symphony of Caribbean life. Layers of disturbing history slowly unfold through one woman’s intimate, murderous confession.’ says the blurb. It is pretty good.”
74 min Another great chance for Berahino! Gardner was block tackled by Kolarov in the act of shooting from the edge of the box. The ball vroomed all the way across the box to Berahino, who was ten yards from goal and miles offside. The flag stayed down, however, and Berahino had time to take the ball down and poke it wide of the far post. He should have scored.
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71 min Berahino misses an excellent chance to equalise, curling well wide of the far post from 15 yards after being put clear by Chester. Mangala was again gawping at his feet, trying to work out how to use them.
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70 min City are in complete control now. De Bruyne has changed the game, as much with his urgency as his ability.
69 min “There are certainly players who have outperformed Aguero for at least parts of this season, but no one who I would describe as ‘better’ than him,” writes Matt Dony. “Not just his finishing ability (which is obviously ridiculous), but his all round play, his skill level, his tenacity. He’s one of those players you can watch for a whole match and still not be certain whether he’s right or left footed. For all its excitement, and claims about being the best league in the world, there have never been enough truly world class players at the peak of their powers playing here. I really think, if you put a fit, in-form Aguero into any of the top six sides for a season, they’d win the league.”
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The goal was made by De Bruyne, who burst impatiently down the right and nutmegged a defender to find Navas in the box. He eschewed the chance to shoot with his left foot and instead squared it to Aguero, whose first-time shot was blocked desperately by a defender.
It came back to Aguero, who was about to shoot again when he was challenge from behind, but it didn’t matter because the ball ran to the onrushing Nasri and he sidefooted it into the net from a few yards.
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GOAL! Man City 2-1 West Brom (Nasri 66)
Samir Nasri scores on his first start since September!
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66 min To quote Half Man, Half Biscuit, ‘kinell it’s Ryan Dunne! “Don’t worry Rob, I’m reading (well, checking the score occasionally). Comforting to know that 10/20 years from now we’ll all still be MBMing!”
65 min “The best player in the Premier League is clearly Riyad Mahrez,” says Øyvind Røed. “Sixteen goals and counting - from a Leicester midfielder. I know we are all getting used to Leicester dominating by now, but seriously - 16 goals and a number of assists from the Leicester midfield.”
He’s been the best player this season. But if you were building a team from scratch right now and could pick one Premier League player, would it be him? I’d probably pick Aguero, De Gea or Coquelin.
64 min Aguero plays a one-two with Toure but can’t wriggle through the 48 West Brom defenders in the box.
63 min “I’m reading Rob, but I’m just off to bath the kids so text me if anything happens if you don’t mind,” says Tom Levesley. “Say hello to Juliet and Freddie and they’ll be loyal fans too.” I’ll do anything for fans, even that.
62 min “Dani Alves, Neymar, Nasri,” says Ezra Finkelstein. “Do all the stars go to the same hairdresser? And is that hairdresser in the latest Zoolander?”
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60 min A double City substitution: Kevin de Bruyne and Yaya Toure replaces Wilfried Bony, who sadly did the cube root of bugger all, and Fabian Delph (see Wilfried Bony).
57 min Aguero is holding the side of his face after being hit - accidentally I think - by Chester’s right arm. Moments later, West Brom have a strong penalty appeal when Mangala humps Sandro over in the box. That looked a clear penalty. It was certainly awful defending.
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56 min “I’m reading,” says David Acaster. “But you’re doing a very good job of telling me about two teams going through the motions.”
Yes, I’m going through the motions myself to help convey the mood of the match. That’s what I’m doing.
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55 min Aguero injects some life into the match, suddenly hitting a low drive towards goal from 25 yards. It zipped up off the wet turf and forced a good save from Foster, who plunged to his right to palm it round.
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52 min “In response to your comment of the nineteenth minute, do you actually believe Sergio Aguero is the best player in the BPL?” says Steve Devenish. “If you do (no offence here) I can officially brand you among the ignoramuses who believe that the best players must be offensive players, along with FIFA. Sorry about that but it’s true. Thanks and goodbye.”
There’s a valid point hidden in that demonstration of your winning social skills, as evidenced by the contrasting perceptions of the World Cup winners of 1970 and 1998. But who is better than Aguero in the BPL? Am I forgetting someone obvious? I suppose De Gea maybe. Ryan Bertrand?
51 min “I’m reading,” says Chris Rendle. “I mean I was. The clock has struck 12.30am here in Thailand and I’m off to bed. Toodle pip!” Night!
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50 min Nasri has looked pretty bright, playing lots of little one-twos as usual. I’d be tempted to start him on Tuesday night.
49 min Sessegnon turns Kolarov one way and then the other on the right side of the box before woefully overhitting his cross.
47 min Is anyone reading?
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46 min Manchester City begin the second half, kicking from right to left.
Half time: Manchester City 1-1 West Brom
See you in 10 minutes for the second half!
45 min Nasri’s inswinging cross from deep on the left is headed well wide by Bony, 12 yards from goal.
42 min West Brom have been relatively threatening on the counter-attack, and Chester forces Navas to concede a corner. It’s headed clear and City break through Navas and then Aguero. He runs 60 yards and then whaps a cross straight into the chest of a West Brom defender.
40 min McClean appeals for a penalty when his low cross hits the hand of the sliding Zabaleta. It would have been pretty harsh as it hit his between the legs first and deflected onto his arm.
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39 min At the other end, a very good cross from the influential Kolarov is headed behind for a corner by Chester. Nothing happens thereafter.
38 min A brilliant first-time pass from Fletcher puts Sessegnon (I think) clear on the right side of the box, but he overruns it and the danger is cleared.
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Sad times at Bolton. We'll have a look at their plight with Phil Brown our studio guest @FootballOn5 live 9pm @channel5_tv
— George Riley (@georgeyboy) April 9, 2016
36 min A long spell of City possession ends when McClean puts hands on Navas without being penalised. That should have been a foul: he pushed Navas in the chest with both hands to stop him running round the outside.
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33 min Ach, straight into the wall. Seconds later he is booked for a high tackle on Navas, who goes down screaming in the contemporary style.
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32 min Delph is penalised for handball in the D. This is a chance for West Brom, with Gardner likely to take the free-kick. Here he comes ...
28 min A loose ball breaks to the substitute Gardner, 20 yards out, and he drills it not far wide of the far post.
27 min “You are correct in saying nobody likes Nasri,” says JR. “Of course there are multiple reasons for this, and now we have another one. His new hairdo is stupid. He looks ridiculous.”
I quite like it. I’m getting Britpop flashbacks.
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23 min City break from a West Brom corner, and Kolarov wafts a well-struck shot just over the bar from 25 yards. Foster had it covered. Actually it was deflected, and Mangala headed the resulting corner over the bar at the near post. He was under considerable pressure.
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21 min A West Brom substitution: Craig Gardner replaces the injured Rondon, so that probably means a switch to 4-3-3.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 West Brom (Aguero 19 pen)
A terrific penalty from the Premier League’s greatest player. Foster went the right way, to his left, but it was passed low into the side netting.
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PENALTY TO MANCHESTER CITY
Sessegnon fouls Kolarov just inside the box, a soft but clear penalty.
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17 min “Failing to guard the near post in one error I just don’t get – that was the one thing I was good at when I was put in goal (i.e. nearly all the time, I was really rubbish at football),” says Phil Podolsky. “Also, nice to see Nasri, who I still think is a great player, though apparently I shouldn’t as that RVP free kick canceled out everything that was good about him.”
Yes, he’s underrated Nasri, possibly because nobody likes him.
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16 min The atmosphere is, even by English football standards, funereal.
15 min Jonny Evans has started this match excellently. Arsenal should have bought him.
13 min Anyone know if Roy Keane’s on Twitter?
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11 min City are racking up the corners, with five already. Not that it’s done them much good so far.
10 min There’s a low-key atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium, as if this game is beneath City. Mangala fouls Rondon on the right wing, and Sessegnon whips a dangerous free-kick into the corridor of uncertainty. McAuley, lurking beyond the far post, pokes it wide. It wasn’t much of a chance as he was stretching and it also zipped off the moist surface.
9 min That was West Brom’s first shot on target in their last three matches.
The goal was made beautifully by the referee Mike Jones. Samir Nasri ran into him while trying to collect a return pass, and City’s attack broke down. West Brom counter-attacked through Fletcher, who curved a fine long pass to McClean on the left. His cross bounced all the way across the edge of the box to Sessegnon, who stretched to control it and then, from a tight angle, whistled a half-volley past Hart at the near post. Hart should have done better, on reflection, though it was beautifully struck.
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GOAL! Manchester City 0-1 West Brom (Sessegnon 6)
West Brom are ahead through a screamer from Sessegnon!
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5 min Lots of possession for City but all in front of West Brom’s superbly organised defence.
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2 min An early corner for West Brom. It’s a poor one from McClean and cleared to Aguero, who sparks a counter-attack that ends with City winning a corner at the other end.
1 min West Brom, in red, kick off from right to left. City are in blue. It’s pouring down in Manchester.
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The players are in the tunnel. I shan’t insult your intelligence by telling you this is one of the biggest games of the season. But I’ll tell you this: if it ends 0-0, I’ll present Match of the Day in my underpants.
Team news
Manchester City (4-4-2) Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov; Navas, Fernando, Delph, Nasri; Bony, Aguero.
Substitutes: : Caballero, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Toure, De Bruyne, Iheanacho.
West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2) Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Chester; Sessegnon, Sandro, Fletcher, McClean; Berahino, Rondon.
Substitutes: Myhill; Olsson, Yacob, Gardner, Anichebe, McManaman, Leko.
Referee Mr Mike Jones.
Preamble
Hello. Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion occupy different worlds. But if you compiled a Premier League table from mid-September, they would be next-door neighbours in 10th and 11th. That shows how negligent City have been since winning their first five league games, and that Tony Pulis is probably the best manager in England at ensuring mid-table security.
The flip side of that security is West Brom have little to play for, whereas City need points in their attempt to finish in the top four. They’ve also won 11 of their last 12 matches against West Brom. Then again they have Paris St-Germain on Tuesday, and for most of the season they have played like they couldn’t give a solitary one about the Premier League, so anything’s possible.
Kick off is at 5.30pm.
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